Led luminaire assemblies with bluetooth capability

ABSTRACT

A Bluetooth beacon for a luminaire assembly includes a module and an antenna associated with the module. The Bluetooth beacon is monted such that the antenna is communicatively visible from a light emitting side of the luminaire assembly. The Bluetooth beacon is configured to provide a signal extending a predetermined distance from the luminaire assembly such that a Bluetooth receiver on a user device can receive a signal from the Bluetooth beacon.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/394,471, filed on Sep. 14, 2016 and entitled LED LUMINAIRE ASSEMBLIESWITH BLUETOOTH CAPABILITY (“the '471 application”), and U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/403,349, filed on Oct. 3, 2016 and entitled LEDLUMINAIRE ASSEMBLIES WITH BLUETOOTH CAPABILITY (“the '349 application”).The '471 and '349 applications are hereby incorporated in theirentireties by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention relate to light emitting diode (LED)luminaire assemblies provided with Bluetooth beacons that includeBluetooth modules with associated Bluetooth antennas.

BACKGROUND

In some cases, it may be advantageous to establish exact, real-timelocation information in an indoor environment. As one example, retailersmay wish to establish real-time location information with a customerwithin their store. Based on the customer's location, the retailer maycommunicate with the customer and assist with locating particular items,promote specific products, or provide various other types ofcommunication. Location information can normally be obtained throughGPS. However, in the indoor environment, GPS may not work or isinsufficiently accurate. Therefore, there is still a need for a systemthat can provide real-time location information in an indoorenvironment.

SUMMARY

The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “thepresent invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly toall of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below.Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit thesubject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of thepatent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patentare defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is ahigh-level overview of various embodiments of the invention andintroduces some of the concepts that are further described in theDetailed Description section below. This summary is not intended toidentify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor isit intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of theclaimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood byreference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of thispatent, any or all drawings, and each claim.

According to certain examples, a Bluetooth beacon for a luminaireassembly includes a module and an antenna associated with the module. Insome examples, the antenna is communicatively visible from the lightemitting side of the luminaire assembly. In various aspects, theBluetooth beacon is configured to provide a signal extending apredetermined distance from the luminaire assembly such that a Bluetoothreceiver on a user device can receive a signal from the Bluetoothbeacon.

In some examples, a luminaire assembly includes a housing, a lightsource, and the Bluetooth beacon. In various other examples, a retrofitkit for an existing luminaire assembly includes the Bluetooth beacon anda beacon support that is configured to connect to the existing luminaireassembly.

Various implementations described in the present disclosure can includeadditional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannotnecessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all suchsystems, methods, features, and advantages be included within thepresent disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and components of the following figures are illustrated toemphasize the general principles of the present disclosure.Corresponding features and components throughout the figures can bedesignated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistencyand clarity.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a luminaire assembly according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the luminaire assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly view of the luminaire assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the luminaireassembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a channel cover according to aspectsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a luminaireassembly according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a luminaireassembly according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a luminaire assembly according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of a channel cover of the luminaireassembly of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a reflector of the luminaireassembly of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of the channel cover of FIG. 9 mountedon the reflector of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a schematic bottom view of a luminaire assembly according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a schematic side view of the luminaire assembly of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of a luminaire assembly according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a bottom perspective view of the luminaire assembly of FIG.14.

FIG. 16 is an exploded assembly view of the luminaire assembly of FIG.14.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the luminaireassembly of FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a bottom perspective view of a luminaire assembly accordingto aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of a portion of a luminaire assembly accordingto aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is an exploded assembly view of a luminaire assembly accordingto aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged bottom view of a portion of the luminaireassembly of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a top perspective view of a luminaire assembly according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 is a top perspective view of a communication assembly for theluminaire assembly of FIG. 23.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged bottom perspective view of a portion of aluminaire assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 25 is a bottom view of a communication assembly for the luminaireassembly of FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 is an exploded assembly view of the communication assembly ofFIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is an enlarged top perspective view of the communicationassembly of FIG. 25 mounted on a door of the luminaire assembly of FIG.24.

FIG. 28 is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the communicationassembly of FIG. 25 mounted on the door of the luminaire assembly ofFIG. 24.

FIG. 29 is a bottom view of the luminaire assembly of FIG. 24.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged bottom view of a portion of the luminaireassembly of FIG. 24 in box 30-30 in FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a bottom perspective view of a luminaire assembly accordingto aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 32 is a side view of a luminaire assembly according to aspects ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 33 is a bottom perspective view of the luminaire assembly of FIG.32.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a Bluetooth module according to aspectsof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter of examples of the present invention is describedhere with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but thisdescription is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of theclaims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, mayinclude different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction withother existing or future technologies. This description should not beinterpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among orbetween various steps or elements except when the order of individualsteps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “thepresent invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly toall of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below.Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit thesubject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of thepatent claims below. Examples of the invention covered by this patentare defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is ahigh-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introducessome of the concepts that are further described in the DetailedDescription section below. This summary is not intended to identify keyor essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intendedto be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subjectmatter. The subject matter should be understood by reference toappropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any orall drawings and each claim.

In some cases, it may be advantageous to establish exact, real-timelocation information in an indoor environment where GPS may not work oris insufficiently accurate. In such cases, luminaires installed withinthe environment may be equipped to provide real-time locationinformation to various user devices, such as smartphones, cell phones,tablets, and various other user devices.

One manner by which to do this is with visual light communication (VLC)technology. Generally, light sources such as LEDs can be modulated(brightened and dimmed) at a high enough rate or frequency to beinvisible to the human eye but detectible by a camera on a smart mobiledevice, such as a smartphone or tablet. The modulation appears to thecamera as a pattern of light and dark lines (essentially a bar code)across the illuminated area of the modulating light source. A differentmodulation pattern may be used in each installed light fixture so as tocreate a unique bar code for each fixture, which ultimately can bemanipulated into a unique identifier for each fixture. The lightfixtures can then be used by a mobile device as a positioning systemthat can, for example, direct the user to the desired area within astore in which the fixtures are installed.

However, VLC technology requires a direct line-of-sight between thelight fixture and the camera of the user device. Sometimes, aninsufficient number or quality of unique modulating light sources may bevisible to the user device. In such circumstances, a Bluetoothbeacon—which includes at least one Bluetooth module and at least oneassociated Bluetooth antenna—may be provided in the LED luminaire toprovide location information. The Bluetooth beacon installed in eachluminaire can provide radio-frequency (RF) triangulation to thesmartphone or tablet's Bluetooth receiver/transmitter. This approach isreferred to as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) positioning. The BLE antennais capable of providing an adequate signal strength at some distancefrom the LED luminaire such that a Bluetooth receiver on the user devicecan receive a signal from several BLE antennas on luminaires at once.Unlike VLC technology, BLE beacons do not require a direct line-of-sightwith the user device to be able to communicate with the user device. TheBLE beacons may be used in conjunction with VLC technology or in placeof VLC technology.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to various ways toincorporate and integrate BLE beacons into luminaires, either byretrofitting them into existing fixtures or providing them on new (i.e.,native) fixtures. Embodiments of the present invention are directed tovarious ways by which to incorporate Bluetooth beacons within LEDluminaires, and embodiments of the present invention are not intended tobe limited to the particulars of the LED luminaires themselves.

Most luminaires include a housing and a light engine provided in thehousing to generate light. Generally, the area above the light engine isthe non-light emitting side of the fixture (because light is notdirected toward that region of the luminaire) whereas the area below thelight engine is the light emitting side of the fixture from which lightis emitted from the luminaire. Embodiments contemplated herein positionthe components of the BLE beacon at various locations within aluminaire.

Luminaire Assembly

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate embodiments of a light engine (referred to hereinas the LED luminaire assembly 10) for positioning within a luminairehousing (not shown). One embodiment of the fixture shown in FIGS. 1-4 isdescribed in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/014,518,filed on Feb. 3, 2016 and titled “Easy Install Light Engine Retrofit Kitand Method for Using Same,” which is hereby incorporated by reference inits entirety.

The LED luminaire assembly 10 includes a reflector 12 having an uppersurface 14 and an lower surface 16. Light sources (such as LEDs 22 orother suitable light sources) are provided on the lower surface 16 ofthe reflector 12 so as to emit light from a light emitting side 18 ofthe luminaire assembly 10. In some embodiments, the LEDs 22 are mountedon a channel cover 26 that is, in turn, mounted on the reflector 12. TheLEDs 22 are shown provided on printed circuit boards 20 (“PCB”). In thisexample, the LED luminaire 10 includes two PCBs 20 having LEDs 22.However, in other embodiments no PCB 20 is needed; rather, the LEDs 22are chip-on-board LEDs 22 provided directly on the reflector 12 orchannel cover 26. In further examples, any number of PCBs 20 may beprovided, such as one PCB 20 or more than two PCBs 20. The LEDs 22 maybe various types of LEDs 22 including single-die LEDs, multi-die LEDs,DC LEDs, AC LEDs, organic light emitting diodes, and/or various othersuitable LEDs. White, color, or multicolor LEDs 22 may be used.Moreover, the LEDs 22 need not all be the same color and/or type;rather, mixtures of different colors and/or types of LEDs 22 may beused.

The LED luminaire assembly 10 of FIGS. 1-4 further includes an optic 24(such as a lens, diffuser, or other suitable optic) provided over theLEDs 22 and positioned on the luminaire assembly 10. In variousexamples, the optic 24 may be positioned through various mechanisms suchas via snap-fitting onto the channel cover 26 or through various othersuitable connection mechanisms to the channel cover 26 or othercomponents of the luminaire assembly 10. The optic 24 can be made of anynon-metallic material that permits light to exit through the optic 24,including, but not limited to, polymeric materials, silicone and variousother suitable materials for light distribution. End caps 28 arepositioned at the ends of the reflector 12. A driver for driving theLEDs 22 could be provided in various locations on the LED luminaireassembly 10, such as on the upper surface 14 of the reflector 12, on thechannel cover 26, or various other suitable locations. For example, FIG.5 illustrates an example of a channel cover 26 where a driver 36 fordriving the LEDs 22 is mounted on the upper surface 27 of the channelcover 26.

In use, the LED luminaire assembly 10 is supported within a housing soas to create a non-light emitting side 19 above the LED luminaireassembly 10 and the light emitting side 18 below the LED luminaireassembly 10 (i.e., the side where light is emitted from the luminaireassembly 10). It will be appreciated that the shape, configuration, andcomponents of the LED luminaire assembly 10 should not be consideredlimiting on the present disclosure as the LED luminaire assembly 10 mayhave any desired shape or configuration with fewer or additionalcomponents.

Bluetooth Beacon

The BLE beacons disclosed herein include a BLE module 32 as well as aBLE antenna 34. In various examples, the BLE module 32 and BLE antenna34 may be provided as a component of a retrofit kit for a non-LEDluminaire 10, may be provided as a retrofit kit for a LED luminaire,and/or may be provided on new (i.e., native) fixtures.

In use, only the BLE antenna 34 (not the BLE module 32) need be“communicatively visible” to the room, meaning that it must be capableof providing adequate signal strength at some distance from the LEDluminaire 10 such that a BLE receiver on the user device 118 (see FIG.13) can receive a signal from the BLE antenna 34. It is preferable,though not required, that the BLE module 32 be provided in a location onthe fixture so as not to be visible from a vantage point below thefixture. In certain examples, the BLE antenna 34 may be communicativelyvisible to the room while visually hidden from view. In other examples,the BLE antenna 34 or the BLE module 32 may be exposed to the floor. Invarious other examples, both the BLE module 32 and BLE antenna 34 areexposed to the floor.

The BLE module 32 and BLE antenna 34 may be provided at variouslocations on the luminaire 10. In some examples, the BLE module 32 andthe BLE antenna 34 are on opposing sides of the luminaire assembly 10.For example, in some cases, one of the BLE module 32 or the BLE antenna34 is on the non-light emitting side 19 of the luminaire 10, and theother is on the light emitting side 18 of the luminaire 10 (see FIGS.1-13). In one non-limiting example, the BLE module 32 is positioned onthe non-light emitting side 19 and the BLE antenna 34 is positioned onthe light emitting side 18. In these examples, the BLE antenna 34 may bemounted on various components on the light emitting side 18 including,but not limited to, the lower surface 16 of the reflector 12, an innersurface of the end cap(s) 28, the lower surface 29 of the channel cover26, on the PCB(s) 20, and various other locations or components. In someof these examples, the BLE module 32 or BLE antenna 34 on the lightemitting side 18 may be under the optic 24, although they need not be.

In other examples, the BLE module 32 and the BLE antenna 34 may be onthe same side of the luminaire assembly 10. For example, in someembodiments, both the BLE module 32 and the BLE antenna 34 are on thelight emitting side 18 of the luminaire 10 (see FIGS. 14-31). In otherembodiments, the BLE module 32 and BLE antenna 34 are both positioned onthe non-light emitting side 19 of the LED luminaire assembly 10, such ason the upper surface 14 of the reflector 12, on an outer surface of theend cap(s) 28, and various other similar locations.

It will be appreciated that in embodiments where the BLE module 32 andBLE antenna 34 are separate from each other, connective wiring(typically coaxial cable) will be used to electrically connect thecomponents. Moreover, in such cases where the BLE module 32 ispositioned on the non-light emitting side 18 and the BLE antenna 34 ispositioned on the light emitting side 18 (or vice versa), through holesto accommodate the connective wiring between the BLE module 32 and BLEantenna 34 may be provided in various components of the LED luminaire 10(such as through the reflector 12, channel cover 26, etc.). In anotherexample, both the BLE module 32 and the BLE antenna 34 are bothpositioned on the light emitting side 18 at various locations asdescribed previously. The BLE module 32 and BLE antenna 34 may beintegrated on the same component (e.g., the BLE antenna 34 is onboardthe BLE module 32) at the same location within the light emitting side18 or they may be separate components provided at different locations onthe light emitting side 18.

The BLE beacon may be powered by the LED driver or may include its ownpower source. In cases where the BLE beacon is connected to the LEDdriver, the BLE beacon and driver 36 may optionally have detachableconnectors 38. In these cases, the BLE beacon and driver 36 may beselectively connected and disconnected, such as during servicing orreplacement of various components of the LED luminaire assembly 10.Similar connectors 40 may also optionally be provided between the driver36 and the LEDs 22. In other examples, the BLE beacon and/or LEDs 22 maybe hardwired to the driver 36.

The BLE module 32 includes controlling electronics for the BLE beacon.In some cases, the BLE module 32 may be connected to the BLE antenna 34through wiring or cabling such that the BLE module 32 and BLE antenna 34may be positioned at different locations on the LED luminaire assembly10 as desired. In other examples, the BLE antenna 34 may be an onboardantenna on the BLE module 32 in that the BLE antenna 34 is mounted onthe BLE module 32. The BLE beacons (as well as components for VLCcommunication) may be self-contained modules or may be components ofinstallation kits for installing an LED light engine into a new orexisting fixture housing.

BLE Module and BLE Beacon on Opposing Sides of Luminaire Assembly

FIGS. 1-5 (discussed above) illustrate embodiments of an LED luminaireassembly 10 provided with a BLE beacon whereby the BLE module 32 and theBLE antenna 34 are provided on opposing sides of the luminaire assembly10. In this example, the BLE module 32 is mounted on the upper surface14 of the reflector 12 (i.e., on the non-light emitting side 19 of theLED luminaire assembly 10), and the BLE antenna 34 is positioned on thelight emitting side 18 (specifically, it is mounted on the lower surface29 of the channel cover 26 but could be attached to other structure,including the PCB 20 or reflector 12). The BLE module 32 could bemounted on other components of the LED luminaire assembly 10, such as onthe upper surface 27 of the channel cover 26. In FIG. 2, the BLE antenna34 is shown centrally located on the light emitting side 18 of the LEDluminaire 10. In other embodiments, it may be desirable to position theBLE antenna 34 (and the BLE module 32 if positioned on the lightemitting side 18) on or adjacent an end of the LED luminaire assembly 10where minimal light is emitted. Such positioning can be seen, forexample, in FIG. 17.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate other embodiments where the BLE module 32 andthe BLE antenna 34 are provided on opposing sides of the luminaireassembly 10. In this example, the BLE antenna 34 is mounted on thechannel cover 26 adjacent to the PCB 20. The BLE antenna 34 could alsobe mounted on the PCB 20 or on the reflector 12. The BLE module (notshown) is mounted on the upper surface of the reflector 12.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7, an antenna cable 31 is routed from theBLE module 32 to the BLE antenna 34 via a through hole in the reflector12 and/or channel cover 26 as necessary. In all of the disclosedembodiments, it is contemplated that a separate, designated wirewaycould be provided for routing the antenna cable 31 from the BLE antenna34 to the BLE module 32 or the antenna cable 31 could be positioned inthe same wireway as the cables connecting the LEDs 22 to the driver 36.A detachable connector 38 can be provided for electrically connectingthe BLE module 32 with the driver 36 (which could be mounted on theupper surface 27 of the channel cover 26 or on the upper surface 14 ofthe reflector 12).

FIGS. 8-11 illustrate another embodiment where the BLE module 32 and theBLE antenna 34 are provided on opposing sides of the luminaire assembly10. In this example, the BLE beacon is a component of a power modulethat can be provided on a retrofit kit. The power module (see FIG. 8)includes a bracket 86 onto which a driver 36 and BLE beacon are mounted.The bracket 86 can be of any suitable size and dimension (depending onthe existing luminaire into which it will be installed) and can be ofany suitable material (e.g., plastic, metallic, etc.) having suitablestructural integrity to support the components. In this embodiment, thedriver 36 and BLE module 32 are provided on the upper surface 35 of thebracket 86 and the BLE antenna 34 is provided on the lower surface ofthe bracket 86 and connected to the BLE module 32 via a wire thatextends through the bracket 86. It is also possible that both the BLEmodule 32 and BLE antenna 34 be provided on the lower surface of thebracket 86. The BLE module 32 is electrically connected to the driver36. Various other wire connections for connecting the driver 36 to theLEDs (not shown) and incoming power are also provided.

The power module is mounted on the back of the reflector 12 (shown inisolation in FIG. 10) of LED luminaire assembly 10 and more specificallyon the upper surface 14 of the reflector 12. (See FIG. 11). In oneembodiment, the power module is attached to the reflector 12 viafasteners but other means of connection (both mechanical and chemical)are contemplated. LEDs (not shown) are positioned and extend along thelower surface 16 of the reflector 12. Wires from the PCBs are connectedwith wires extending from the driver 36 via connectors 37.

A clearance hole 42 is provided in the reflector 12, and the powermodule is positioned on the reflector 12 such that the BLE antenna 34 isaligned with the clearance hole 42 and in some embodiments protrudesdownwardly through the hole 42. In this way, the required “visibility”of the BLE antenna 34 to devices receiving signals from the antenna isachieved. The LED luminaire assembly 10 of FIGS. 8 and 11 can beprovided in an existing fixture housing in myriad ways, including viause of mounting brackets 39.

FIGS. 12 and 13 schematically illustrate another such embodiment,whereby BLE antenna 34 is positioned adjacent to the end of the LEDluminaire 10. For example, the BLE antenna 34 may be positionedproximate the end of the PCB 20 or channel cover 26 where minimal lightilluminates this area of the LED luminaire assembly 10, and thus the BLEantenna 34 may not be visible or may have a reduced visibility.Additionally, because there is minimal light in this area, there islittle absorption of light by the BLE antenna 34 and the amount ofshadowing caused by the BLE antenna 34 is reduced, which maintains apositive appearance for the viewer. The BLE module 32 may be positionedon the non-light emitting side 19 or alternatively may be provided onthe light emitting side 18 (such as proximate the BLE antenna 34).Regardless, it is preferable that the BLE antenna 34 (and BLE module 32if provided on the light emitting side 18) be mounted so as to have alow profile to avoid the casting of shadows. For example, thindouble-sided tape (e.g., on the order of 3 mm or less) may be used toattach the BLE antenna 34.

FIGS. 32 and 33 illustrate another embodiment where the BLE antenna 34is visually visible from a vantage point below the LED luminaireassembly 10. In some embodiments, the BLE module 32 may also be visuallyvisible from the vantage point below the LED luminaire assembly 10,although it need not be. For example, in other embodiments, the BLEmodule 32 may be beneath the optic 24 or on the non-light emitting side19 of the LED luminaire.

BLE Module and BLE Beacon on Same Side of Luminaire Assembly

FIGS. 14-17 illustrate an embodiment where the BLE module 32 and the BLEantenna 34 are provided on the same side of the luminaire assembly 10.In this example, the BLE module 32 and the BLE antenna 34 are bothmounted on the light emitting side 18 of the LED luminaire assembly 10.In this illustrated example, the BLE antenna 34 is an onboard antenna onthe BLE module 32, which is mounted on the PCB 20. Wiring from the BLEbeacon extends upwardly through the light engine to connect (viaconnector 38) with the driver 36.

FIG. 18 illustrates two LED luminaire assemblies 10 mounted in tandem.The LED luminaire assemblies 10 may have the BLE beacon as illustratedin FIGS. 1-5, the BLE beacon as illustrated in FIGS. 14-17, or acombination of both types of BLE beacons.

FIG. 19 illustrates an example of an LED luminaire assembly 10 where theBLE module 32 and the BLE antenna 34 are provided on the same side ofthe luminaire assembly 10. In this example, a BLE beacon is providednatively or during original manufacture of the new LED luminaireassembly 10. In this example, the BLE module 32 and BLE antenna 34 areboth provided on the light emitting side 18 of the LED luminaireassembly 10, although they need not be. In the illustrated embodiment,they are mounted on a lower surface 29 of the channel cover 26, butcould be positioned in other locations as well. The BLE module 32 andBLE antenna 34 are shown as separate components connected with a coaxialcable but could be provided as a single component. Wires from the BLEmodule 32 extend through the LED luminaire assembly 10 and connect withthe driver 36.

FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate another example where the BLE module 32 andthe BLE antenna 34 are provided on the same side of the luminaireassembly 10. In this example, both the BLE module 32 and BLE antenna 34are provided on the light emitting side of the LED luminaire assembly10. In some examples, the BLE module 32 is mounted on an inner surfaceof the end cap 28, and the BLE antenna 34 is mounted on the lowersurface 29 of the channel cover 26 adjacent to the PCB 20 (but it couldalso be mounted on a reflector 12 or PCB 20). Placement of the BLEmodule 32 on the end cap 28 may help to hide the BLE module 32 from viewwhen the LED luminaire assembly 10 is illuminated. In some examples, theBLE antenna 34 is connected to the BLE module 32 through wiring, such asa coaxial cable 33. In some cases, the BLE antenna 34 may optionally bemounted through an adhesive tape that has a thickness such that the BLEantenna 34 creates reduced to no shadowing when the LED luminaireassembly 10 is illuminated.

FIGS. 22 and 23 illustrate an embodiment similar to that shown in FIG.19, but the BLE beacon is designed to be retrofitted into an existingluminaire 10. For example, it is possible to hardwire a luminaire toaccommodate Bluetooth functionality but not actually equip the luminairewith such functionality. For example, the luminaire in FIG. 22 may bemanufactured to include the necessary wiring and connector 38 forBluetooth capabilities but (unlike the embodiment of FIG. 19) was notequipped during manufacture with Bluetooth capabilities. If a decisionis later made to equip the luminaire with Bluetooth capabilities, theretrofit module shown in FIG. 23 could be used.

The retrofit module includes a BLE module 32 with associated BLE antenna34 (shown as separate parts but that could be integral) provided on asupport structure 44. Wires with an associated connector 38 extend fromthe retrofit module. To install the retrofit module, the supportstructure 44 is mounted on the existing luminaire at the desiredlocation (such as via mechanical or chemical retention methods) and thewires from the retrofit module are snap-fitted via connectors 38 withthe existing power wires on the luminaire.

In all of the embodiments disclosed so far where the BLE module 32 andBLE antenna 34 are on the same side or opposing sides of the LEDluminaire 10, the BLE beacon is positioned on the LED luminaire assembly10 such that, when the optic 24 is mounted on the LED luminaire assembly10, the BLE antenna 34 is not visible from below but is able to emit RFsignals of sufficient strength to devices below. The BLE antenna 34 ispreferably positioned relative to other electrical components in the LEDluminaire assembly 10 such that the BLE antenna 34 can emit its signalswith minimal interference.

FIGS. 24-31 illustrate another embodiment of a Bluetooth retrofit moduleto impart Bluetooth capability into an existing luminaire. In thisembodiment, the luminaire 10 includes a driver 36 provided on a driverdoor 41 (see FIG. 24) that is pivotally connected to the reflector 12such that a person may access the driver 36 without having to remove theLED luminaire assembly 10. In these examples, the reflector 12 defines acorresponding driver door opening 43 to accommodate the driver door 41and driver 36 when the driver door 41 is in a closed position. It willbe understood that the Bluetooth retrofit module can be used on anyluminaire having a driver door 41. In some examples, the LED luminaireassembly 10 includes a divider/louver assembly 45 that is hinged andincludes a longitudinal divider 47. (See FIGS. 29-31). A driver door 41is hinged and is located under the longitudinal divider 47 and isaccessible when the divider/louver assembly 45 is open.

The Bluetooth retrofit module (best seen in FIGS. 27-29) includes ahousing 49 that houses the BLE module 32, BLE antenna 34, and associatedwiring. The housing 49 is preferably made of a material (such asplastic) that permits the BLE antenna 34 to emit signals from thehousing 49. The housing 49 is designed to mount onto the driver door 41,preferably but not necessarily without the use of fasteners, as shown inFIGS. 27 and 28. In some embodiments, the housing 49 includes a pocket51 that slides onto the end of the driver door 41. The housing 49 mayalso include a slotted hole for capturing an existing fastener that isinstalled on the driver door 41 and used to secure the driver door 41 ina closed positon. A wire guide 55 can also be formed in the housing 49to route the Bluetooth wiring 57 from the housing 49 for connection tothe driver 36. The wire guide 55 ensures that the wires 57 are routedaway from the sharp metal edges of the driver door 41.

In the illustrated embodiment, and when the BLE retrofit module isinstalled on the driver door 41, the housing 49 is offset from the axisof the driver door 41 in the LED luminaire assembly 10. This is so that,when the driver door 41 is closed and the divider/louver assembly 45 isclosed, the housing 49 will not be positioned behind the longitudinaldivider 47, which would detrimentally impact the ability of the BLEantenna 34 to transmit its signal in cases where the longitudinaldivider 47 is metal. However, in luminaires with other configurations,it might be desirable for the housing 49 to extend coaxially with thedriver door 41.

In various other examples where a luminaire 10 includes the longitudinaldivider 47, the BLE module 32 and/or the BLE antenna 34 may bepositioned on the longitudinal divider 47. Similarly, in examples wherethe luminaire 10 includes the divider/louver assembly 45, the BLE module32 and/or the BLE antenna 34 may be positioned on the divider/louverassembly 45.

FIG. 34 illustrates a non-limiting example of a BLE module 32. Asillustrated in FIG. 34, in some examples, the BLE antenna 34 is anon-board chip antenna. In certain examples, the BLE module 32 includesan on-board power source 892 that may be used to power the BLE module 32and/or the BLE antenna 34. In other examples, a separate power sourcemay be used to power the BLE module 32 and/or the BLE antenna 32.

Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings ordescribed above, as well as components and steps not shown or describedare possible. Similarly, some features and sub-combinations are usefuland may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. Examples of the invention have been described forillustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative examples willbecome apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the presentinvention is not limited to the examples described above or depicted inthe drawings, and various examples and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims below.

That which is claimed:
 1. A luminaire assembly comprising: a housing; alight source provided with the housing such that the luminaire assemblycomprises a light emitting side and a non-light emitting side; and aBluetooth beacon on the luminaire assembly, the Bluetooth beaconcomprising a module and an antenna associated with the module, whereinthe antenna is communicatively visible from the light emitting side ofthe luminaire assembly, and wherein the Bluetooth beacon is configuredto provide a signal extending a predetermined distance from theluminaire assembly such that a Bluetooth receiver on a user device canreceive a signal from the Bluetooth beacon.
 2. The luminaire assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the module and antenna are positioned on opposing sidesof the luminaire assembly.
 3. The luminaire assembly of claim 2, whereinthe module is positioned on the non-light emitting side of the luminaireassembly and the antenna is positioned on the light emitting side of theluminaire assembly.
 4. The luminaire assembly of claim 3, wherein theantenna is mounted on one of an inner surface of the housing, an innersurface of an end cap of the luminaire assembly, a channel cover, or aprinted circuit board.
 5. The luminaire assembly of claim 3, wherein theantenna is positioned under an optic of the luminaire assembly.
 6. Theluminaire assembly of claim 1, wherein the module and antenna are bothpositioned on the light emitting side or on the non-light emitting sideof the luminaire assembly.
 7. The luminaire assembly of claim 6, whereinthe antenna is mounted on the module.
 8. The luminaire assembly of claim6, wherein the module and antenna are both positioned on the lightemitting side of the luminaire assembly.
 9. The luminaire assembly ofclaim 8, further comprising: a channel cover; a printed circuit board;an optic; and an end cap positioned at a lateral end of the housing,wherein the module and antenna are both positioned on the housing,channel cover, printed circuit board, or end cap.
 10. The luminaireassembly of claim 8, further comprising: a channel cover; a printedcircuit board; an optic; and an end cap positioned at a lateral end ofthe housing, wherein the module is positioned on one of the housing,channel cover, printed circuit board, or end cap, and wherein theantenna is positioned on a different one of the housing, channel cover,printed circuit board, or end cap.
 11. The luminaire assembly of claim10, wherein the module is positioned on the end cap and the antenna ispositioned on the housing.
 12. The luminaire assembly of claim 6,wherein the housing comprises a driver door, and wherein the module andantenna are positioned on a beacon support that is mounted on the driverdoor.
 13. The luminaire assembly of claim 12, wherein the beacon supportis offset from an axis of the driver door.
 14. The luminaire assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the antenna is mounted adjacent a lateral end of theluminaire assembly on the light emitting side.
 15. A retrofit kit for anexisting luminaire assembly comprising: a beacon support configured toconnect to the existing luminaire assembly; and a Bluetooth beacon onthe beacon support, the Bluetooth beacon comprising a module and anantenna associated with the module, wherein the antenna iscommunicatively visible from a light emitting side of the existingluminaire assembly when the retrofit kit is installed, and wherein theBluetooth beacon is configured to provide a signal extending apredetermined distance from the existing luminaire assembly when theretrofit kit is installed such that a Bluetooth receiver on a userdevice can receive a signal from the Bluetooth beacon.
 16. The retrofitkit of claim 15, wherein the beacon support comprises a bracket that isconfigured to mount on a reflector of the existing luminaire assemblysuch that the bracket in on a non-light emitting side of the existingluminaire assembly when installed.
 17. The retrofit kit of claim 16,wherein the Bluetooth beacon is on the bracket such that the module andthe antenna are on the light emitting side of the existing luminaireassembly when installed.
 18. The retrofit kit of claim 16, wherein theBluetooth beacon is on the bracket such that the module is on thenon-light emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly and theantenna is on the light emitting side of the existing luminaire assemblywhen installed.
 19. The retrofit kit of claim 15, wherein the beaconsupport comprises a housing and a pocket, wherein the pocket isconfigured to receive at least a portion of a driver door of theexisting luminaire assembly to mount the beacon support on the existingluminaire assembly when installed, and wherein the module and antenna ofthe Bluetooth beacon are positioned within the housing.
 20. The retrofitkit of claim 19, wherein the housing is offset from the pocket such thatthe housing and Bluetooth beacon are offset from the driver door wheninstalled.